Table 1:
Overview of medically-approved and potential synthetic cannabinoid therapeutics
| Name | Primary Mechanism of Action | Investigated Therapeutic Indications | Approved Medical Use | Registered Clinical Trials | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dronabinol | CB1/2 Receptor Agonist | HIV/AIDS-induced anorexia | Yes | Marinol® (dronabinol) capsules [package insert] (2017) AbbVie Inc. SYNDROS (dronabinol) oral solution, CX [package insert] (2016) Insys Therapeutics, Inc. |
|
| Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting | Yes | ||||
| Neuropathic back pain | No | NCT02460692 | |||
| Cannabis use disorder | No | Budney et al., 2007; Haney et al., 2004; Herrmann et al., 2016; Lintzeris et al., 2019; Trigo et al., 2018; Vandrey et al., 2013 | |||
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | No | NCT03008005 | |||
| Alzheimer’s disease | No | NCT02792257 | |||
| Nabilone | Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting | Yes | Cesamet® (nabilone) capsules for oral administration [package insert] (2013) Meda Pharmaceuticals | ||
| Acute pain in inflammatory bowel disease | No | NCT03422861 | |||
| Sleep disorders in post-traumatic stress disorder | No | Jetly et al., 2015 | |||
| Parkinson’s disease | No | Sieradzan et al., 2001 | |||
| Alzheimer’s disease | No | NCT02351882 | |||
| Nabiximols | Multiple sclerosis (MS) related spasticity | Yes* | Sativex® Oromucosal Spray. Prescribing Information. http://sativex.co.uk/static/documents/pi_uk.pdf | ||
| Pain associated with MS and cancer | Yes** | Sativex® Product Monograph. https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00016162.PDF | |||
| Cannabis use disorder | No | Allsop et al., 2014 | |||
| Ajulemic Acid (JBT-101) | Selective CB2 Receptor Agonist | Chronic neuropathic pain | No | Karst et al., 2003 | |
| Dermatomyositis | No | NCT03813160; NCT02466243 | |||
| Lupus | No | NCT03093402 | |||
| Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis | No | NCT03398837; NCT02465437 | |||
| GW842166 | Molar extraction-related pain | No | Ostenfeld et al., 2011 | ||
| Osteoarthritis-related pain | No | NCT00479427 | |||
| AZD1940 | Peripherally-Restricted CB1 Receptor Agonist | Molar extraction-related pain | No | Kalliomaki et al., 2013 | |
| Rimonabant (SR141716) | Selective CB1 Receptor Inverse Agonist | Obesity | No*** | (Boesten et al., 2012; Pi-Sunyer et al., 2006 | |
| Smoking cessation | No | Robinson et al., 2018 | |||
| Cannabis Use Disorder | No | Huestis et al., 2007; Huestis et al., 2001 | |||
| Neurocognition in schizophrenia | No | Boggs et al., 2012 | |||
| Taranabant (MK-0364) | Smoking cessation | No | Morrison et al., 2010 | ||
| Obesity/weight loss | No | Aronne et al., 2010; Kipnes et al., 2010; Proietto et al., 2010; Wadden et al., 2010 | |||
| Surinabant (SR147778) | Smoking cessation | No | Tonstad and Aubin, 2012 | ||
| Cannabis use disorder | No | Klumpers et al., 2013 | |||
| Tetrahydrocanna bivarin (THCV) | CB1 Receptor Antagonist/CB2 Receptor Partial Agonist | Obesity-associated glucose intolerance | No**** | Jadoon et al., 2016 | |
| Subjective/cognitive effects of cannabis | No**** | Englund et al., 2016 | |||
| Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) | CB1 Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator | Infantile eczema | No | Wu et al., 2013 | |
| Gingivitis | No | NCT02342691 | |||
| Pregnenolone | CB1 Receptor Negative Allosteric Modulator | Schizophrenia | No | Ritsner et al., 2014; Kreinin et al., 2017; Kardashev et al., 2018 | |
| Bipolar disorder | No | NCT01409096 | Brown et al., 2014 | ||
| Cannabis use disorder | No | NCT03717272; NCT02439814 | |||
| Tobacco withdrawal | No | NCT00900900 | |||
| Concurrent bipolar/alcohol use disorders | No | NCT02582905 | |||
| PF-04457845 | FAAH Inhibitor | Cannabis use disorder | No | NCT03386487 | |
| Tourette syndrome | No | NCT02134080 | |||
| JNJ-42165279 | Social anxiety disorder | No | NCT02432703 | ||
| Autism spectrum disorder | No | NCT03664232 | |||
| Anxious distress in major depressive disorder | No | NCT02498392 | |||
| ASP3652 | Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome | No | Wagenlehner et al., 2017 | ||
| URB597 (KD-4103) | Schizophrenia | No | NCT00916201 | ||
| ABX-1431 | MAGL Inhibitor | Tourette syndrome | No | NCT03625453 | Jiang and van der Stelt, 2018 |
| Pain | No | NCT03138421; NCT02929264; NCT03447756 | |||
| Cannabidiol (CBD) | 5-HT1A receptor agonist, CB1 receptor antagonist or NAM, CB2 receptor inverse agonist,TRPV1 agonist, FAAH/anandamide transporter inhibitor, PPARy receptor agonist, GPR55 receptor antagonist | Lennox-Gastaut syndrome | Yes**** | Devinsky et al., 2017; Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) oral solution [package insert] (2018) Greenwich Biosciences, Inc | |
| Dravet syndrome | Yes**** | Devinsky et al., 2018; Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) oral solution [package insert] (2018) Greenwich Biosciences, Inc | |||
| Treatment-resistant epilepsy | No | NCT03808935 | |||
| Schizophrenia | No | NCT02926859 | Leweke et al., 2012; McGuire et al., 2018; Boggs et al., 2018 | ||
| Substance use disorders | No | Hurd et al., 2019; Morgan et al., 2013; Hindocha et al., 2018b | |||
| Anxiety disorders | No | NCT03549819; NCT04086342 | Bergamaschi et al., 2011; Crippa et al., 2011; Fusar-Poli et al., 2009; Linares et al., 2019; Masataka, 2019 | ||
| Parkinson’s disease | No | NCT03582137 | Chagas et al., 2014; Lotan et al., 2014; Sieradzan et al., 2001 | ||
| Huntington’s disease | No | Consroe et al., 1991 | |||
| Chronic pain | No | NCT03984565, NCT03215940 | Notcutt et al., 2004; Wade et al., 2003 |
*
Nabiximols is approved to treat MS-related spasticity in Canada, United Kingdom, and several other European countries.
**
Nabiximols is approved to treat pain associated with MS and cancer in Canada.
***
Rimonabant was withdrawn from the market worldwide in 2008 due to increased depression and suicide ideation in a small percentage of participants.
****
Plant-derived cannabinoid was employed.